Topic 8: semantic redundancy of oral messages. Interpreter's note–taking

Semantic Redundancy as one of the Main Properties of Oral Discourse

Semantic redundancy (семантична надлишковість) is an important property of any speech, especially oral one. It provides safeguards for successful transmission of information, i.e. ensures that the listener better understands the speaker and that the communicative intent of the speaker is achieved. It is generally believed that semantic redundancy of messages is based upon: I) repetition of components of the message and 2) interrelation of components of the message, which are manifested through contextual relationships. In oral speech these relationships are ensured by means of lexical and semantic cohesion, which is so important for successful comprehension and translation of oral messages.

Lexical cohesion is manifested in repetition one or more lexical units (words or word combinations) in a sentence that by themselves tell the reader or listener nothing new but reinstate some elements from earlier sentences. Linguistic means, which ensure redundancy of oral speech, fall into two groups: repetition links and interrelation links. These links are established between meaningful components of oral discourse through anaphoric, cataphoric and exophoric contextual relationships.